Electromagnetic apparatus for actuating mechanism



No. 6|7,099. Patented Jan. 3, I899. S. H. HOGGSON. ELECTROMAGNETIC APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING MECHANISM.

(Application filed Aug. 4, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL HAMILTON IIOGGSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTROMAGNETIC APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,099, dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed August 4, 1897. Serial No. 647,089. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom, it may con/061%.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL HAMILTON IIOGGSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electromagnetic Apparatus for Actuating Mechanism; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to electromagnetic apparatus for actuating various kinds of mechanism and will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in eonj unction with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved apparatus with one of the shafts or arbors partly broken away, and Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the line a: :0 of Fig. 1.

In the said drawings similar letters designate corresponding parts in both views, referring to which- A indicates the main frame of the apparatus. This frame may be of any construction suitable to the purpose; but I prefer to have it comprise the two metallic plates a b, the pillar 0, screws cZ, connecting said plates at their upper ends, and the cross-bar (2, connecting them at their lower ends. In the plates a Z) of the said frameA is j ournaled an escapement-shaft f, which carries an escapeinent-wheel g and a pinion h, and below this shaft f is journaled a shaft t', having a gearwheel j in mesh with the pinion h, as shown. The shaftt is designed for connection with the mechanism to be actuated, such connection being effected directly or through the medium of any suitable interposed gearing, (not illustrated,) as desired.

Disposed above the shaft or arbor f and journaled in the plates a Z) of the frame A is a verge or spindle 70. This verge or spindle 7; carriesa contact-spring Z, which is insulated from it and also from the adjacent frameplate a and is designed for the engagement of the circuit maker and breaker m on the shaft or arbor f. Said verge or spindle Z; also carries a pallet a, which engages the escapementwheel g, and a crutch-bar p, which engages a pendulum q in the manner common to clock mechanisms.

B indicates a ratchet-wheel which is fixed with respect to the gear-wheelj, and C indicates an actuating-weight, preferably a lever, which is loosely mounted on the shaft or arbor iand is provided with a Weight 1* (either adjustable or fixed) and a spring-pressed pawl s, the latter being designed to engage the teeth of and rotate the ratchet-wheel B on the downward movement of the weighted end of the lever and ride over the teeth of said ratchet on the upward movement of the weighted end of said lever.

In virtue of the construction just described it will be seen that as the weighted end of the lever C descends the ratchet-wheel B will be rotated, as will also the shaft or arbor t, and it will also be appreciated that in order to continuously rotate the arbor or shaft t' the weighted end of the lever C must be quickly raised at the completion of each downward movement thereof. To this end I provide, in conj unction with the arbor f and verge 7t and their appurtenances, one or more (preferably two) electromagnets D, an armature E,which is fulcrumed in the side plates at Z) of the frame A, and a pitman ll, which is pivotally connected at one end to the armature and is connected at its opposite end to the weighted end of the lever C, preferably in the loose manner shown, so as to permit the spring 25 below the armature to raise the same when the electrical circuit is broken and the electromagnets are denergized, as will be presently described.

G indicates a suitable generator of electricity. This generator has one of its poles electrically connected by a conductor a with the contact-spring Z, while its other pole is connected by a conductor 41 with one end of the helix of one electromagnet D. The other end of such helix is connected by a conductor 20 with the helix of the other electromagnet, which in turn is connected by a conductor 0; with the metallic plate a of the frame A.

The parts of my improved apparatus are so arranged or timed that when the weighted end of the lever C has completed its downward movement, which is necessary to rotate the shaft or arbor t, as before described, the circuit maker and breaker m will engage the contact-spring Z. In consequence of this the electric circuit will be completed and the current will pass from the plus pole of the gen orator through conductor 'Lt, spring Z, circuit maker and breaker m, shaft f, frame-plate a, conductor .ar, elcctromagnets D, and conductor L to the minus pole of the generator. This will result in the electromagnets being energized, the armature being drawn down into contact with the cores of the magnets, and the weight end of the lever C being raised to the position shown in Fig. 1. This contact between the circuit-breaker m and spring or contact-piece Z is but momentary, and immediately after it is effected, with the result stated, the circuit-breaker moves out of engagement with the spring and the magnets are dcenergized. \Vhen this takes place, the spring t raises the armature, so that the pitman F will not interfere with the downward movement of the weighted end of the lever C.

I prefer to connect the pitman F and lever C in the loose manner shown for the reasons stated; but such connection is not essential to the successful operation of the apparatus, andtherefore thepitman andlever maybe pivotally or otherwise suitably connected when desired.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, that my improved apparatus will serve to rotate the shaft or arbor i at a uniform rate of speed for an indefinite period of time and that power may be readily taken from said shaft or arbor t' to actuate Various kinds of mechanism. It will also be appreciated that the apparatus is very cheap, simple, and not liable to get out of order and that when once started it requires no attention other than the necessary replenishing of the battery or generator materials.

lVhen desirable, my improved apparatus may be equipped with an auxiliary electrical circuit, as shown in Fig. 1. In this circuit is arranged a battery a, a screw 1), which extends through but is insulated from an arm c of the main frame A, a conductor (1, connecting one pole of the battery and the screw 1), and a conductor 6, connecting the other pole of the battery and the frame-plate Z). In virtue of this arrangement it will be seen that when the electromagnets of the apparatus are energized the armature E will contact with the screw and the auxiliary circuit will be closed. The said auxiliary circuit may, if desired, be employed to actuate secondary clocks, flash-lights, time-stamps, and other suitable devices which depend on accuracy or steadiness of movement. I would also have it understood that when desirable the auxiliary circuit may be normally closed, and the closure of the primary circuit may be utilized to open it at desired intervals for actuating various kinds of mechanism.

In addition to permitting the spring t to raise the armature when the magnets D are deenergized the loose connection between the pitman 1* and lever C permits the momentum gained by the weighted end of the lever O to raise said weighted end after the downward movement of the armature E, and thus insures a greater upward movement of the weighted end of the lever and a consequent greater downward movement than would otherwise be possible. lhis permits of the armature resting in close proximity to the electromagnets, which is highly desirable for obvious reasons.

It will be noticed that the employment of the armature E and the pitman F as the means of transmitting motion from the electromagnets to the weighted lever permits of the eleetromagncts being arranged below and in the same vertical plane as the arbor on which said weighted lever is fulcrumed,which contributes materially to the compactness of the mechanism.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an electromagnetic apparatus for actuating mechanism, the combination of a ratehetwheel, a lever fulcrumed at an intermediate point of its length and carrying a weight at one end and having a pawl engaging the ratchet-wheel to rotate the same on the descent of the weighted end of said lover, an electromagnet arranged below the fulcrum of the lever, the electrical circuit thereof, an armature arranged in proximity to the electromagnet, a pitman connecting said armature and the unweighted end of the lever, and a rotary circuit maker and breaker, connected by interposed gearing with the ratchet-wheel, for closing the circuit at the completion of the downward movement of the weight end of the lever to raise such end of the lever and for opening the circuit when such weight end begins to movedownwardly, substantially as specified.

2. In an electromagnetic apparatus for actuating mechanism, the combination of a ratchet-wheel, a lever fulcrumed at an intermediate point of its length and carrying a weight at one end and having a pawl engaging the ratchet-wheel to rotate the same on the descent of the weighted end of said lever, an electromagnet arranged below the fulcrum of the lever, the electrical circuit thereof, an armature arranged in proximity to the electromagnet, a spring for raising the armature, a pitman connected to said armature and loosely connected to the unweighted end of the lever so as to enable said lever to move independent of the pitman and vice versa, and a circuit maker and breaker actuated by the descent of the weighted arm of the le' ver to close the circuit, substantially as specilied.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Sllll'llli ll Hill/ION llUHGSON.

lVitnesses:

FRANCES A. Srnnnv, L. A. ARNOLD. 

